Burial vault cover installation



March 5, 1940. 1 SCHULZ 2,192,388

- BURIAL VAULT cQvER INSTALLATION Filed 001'.. 14, 1936 M INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 5, 1940 UNITED STATES BURIAL VAULT COVER INSTALLATION Joseph Schulz, Newark, N. J., assignorto'Fred J. Meade and Margaret M. Mead, Orange, N. J.

Application October 14, 1938, Serial No. 234,932

12 claims.

This invention relates to a device by means of which a burial vault cover or the like which is very heavy can be conveniently held out of the way, in a position a short distance from the place where it is to be installed, and moved by hand into the desired position and accurately and conveniently installed in the exact position where it is needed. The device holds the cover in an upright position from which it is easily moved v intol a horizontal position in place on the vault.

The holding members for the cover are so shaped and arranged that they can be readily manipulated by hand, and, although they are comparatively light, no excessive strains are imposed upon them. At the same time a spring is used t0 relieve apart of thewcight the user might have to sustain when the cover is being put in place to one side of the pivoty points of the holding or supporting members for the cover.

This invention will be understood from the description in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view .of anillustrated embodimentoi the invention;

Fig. 2 is an edge view on an enlarged scale partly broken away showing some of the details;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 is an edge view corresponding to Fig. 2 with parts in a different position.

In the drawing, reference character l indicates an open grave in which an .open burial vault 2 (Fig. 4) is suspended with its upper edge a few inches above the surface of the ground by means of straps 3 which pass under the same and are attached to a lowering mechanism of the wellknown sort (not shown). The gravel is surrounded (Fig. l) by a rectangular support in the form of an open framework of .wood or other material, consisting of side pieces 4 and end pieces 5.

The cover 6 of the vault is of a well-known sort that is made of reenforced concrete and often Weighs several hundred pounds. It is held in an edge-wise position (Fig. 2) until a casket is placed in the vault 2, by mechanism that is to be described, a sufficient distance from the edge of the grave to permit passageway for people between the cover and the vault so that the casket can be observed from all sides of the grave after it is placed in the vault.

The holding and lowering device for the cover 6 comprises a plurality of swinging arms or hinged members 'l with handles 'l' at Vthe outer ends thereof. These members 1 are made of channel bars and have spaced brackets 8 and 9 attached thereto for holding the cover. The ends of the brackets `8 and 9 are provided with .hooks or detents I0 and Il to catch under the edge of a rib l2 on the cover 6 which may be the metal band that is usually provided around 5 the edges of the cover. A curved guide or prong I3 may be provided on one or more of the brackets8 or 9 at the outer ends thereof to swing the vault 2 into correct position when 'the cover ls lowered into place. Slots i4 are provided in the 110 webs of the hinged members 'I near the outer ends. Bolts I5 carried by the brackets 9 pass through these slots and also through holes in a plate I6 between the flanges of the members l. Wing nuts ll are provided for the bolts sothat 'l5 by loosening and tightening these nuts, the brackets Il can be adjusted vfor covers of different sizes,`and forv releasing them.

Short channelbars 2i] are bolted by bolts 2l to one of the side pieces 4. Stud pivots 22 are 20 attached to outer sides of the flanges 23 of the channel bars 2D intermediate the ends thereof.

A pivot bolt v24 passes through the flanges of the member 'l near its lower end, and links 25 on opposite sidesof the channel bars 26 connect the -25 pivots 22 and the bolt 24, holes being provided near the ends of the links 25 to pivot them on the bolts 22 and 24.

A bolt 26 passes through the anges 23 of each channel bar .2B some distance from the pivots '3.0 22. A sleeve v2l is provided on each bolt 26 between the iianges 23 and is shorter than the'distance between these `flanges. A bolt 28 which is shorter than the bolt 24 passes through the flanges of each member 'l some distance from the 35 lower end thereof. Links 29 have one end thereof pivoted on the bolts 26 between the sleeve 21 and the inner sides of the ilanges 23 and the other ends of these links 29 are pivoted on the bolt 2a. The links 25 and 29 are curved in op; 4 posite directions in the planes thereof asindicated at 30 and 3! respectively so that when the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 2, the lever arms fromthe left hand edge of the side piece 4 which serves as a fulcrum to the vertical plane through the pivot bolts 24 and 26, is so short that the links 25 and 29 are able to sustain very heavy weights without being distorted. The pivot points 22, 24, 26 and 28 are so located and 50 the links 25 and 3| are so shaped and are of such lengths that the cover 6 will be held in a vertical plane when the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 2, and will be turned into a horizontal position directly over the vault 2 when the 55 position.

members 'I are turned into the position shown in Fig. 4.

Ring bolts 32 vare attached to the member 'l above the pivot bolt 28 (Fig. 2) and ring bolts 33 are attached to the webs of the channel bars 20 between the bolts 22 and 28. Tension springs 34'are connected to the bolts 32 and 33 so that they are placed under tension as the members 1 approach their` horizontal positions thus relieving some of the weight that would otherwise need to be carried 'by the handles l whenithe cover 6 has been turned a considerable distance from its vertical position.

By this invention, the covers can be placed on' vaults while the vaults are in positions thatwill enable observers to be sure that the seals of waterprooiing material between the upper edges of the vault and the cover are properly made' so that the vault will be Waterproof after the grave Iclaim: i

1. In a device for -placing a cover on a burial vault, a base, a support, means pivoted to said base and to said support for moving said cover from an edge-on position and turning it to a horizontal position and means to release it after it has reached a horizontal position.

2. In a device for placing a cover on a burial vault, a base, a support, means pivoted to said base and to said support for supporting and moving said cover from an edge-on position and turning it to va horizontal position and means to release it after it has reached a horizontal 3. In a device for placing a cover on a burial vault, pivoted means for moving said cover from an edge-on position to a horizontal position and means to release it after it has reached a horizontal position, said means being adapted `to leave a passageway by the side of said vault between said vault and said cover when said cover is in its initial position.

4. In a device for placing a cover on a burial vault, pivoted means for moving said cover from an edge-on position to a horizontal poistion and means to release it after it has reached a horizontal position, said means being adapted to position said vault and cover with respect to each other` before they are brought into contact.

5. In a device for placing a cover on a burial vault, pivoted means for moving said cover from an edge-on position to a horizontal position and means to release it after it has reached a horiaieasss zontal position, said pivoted means comprising links spaced different distances from said vault.

6. In a device for placing a cover on a burial vault, pivoted means for moving said cover from an edge-on position to a horizontal position and means to release it after it has reached a horizontal position, said iirst named means comprising bent links spaced different distances from said vault.

'7. In a device for placing a cover on a burial vault, means for moving said cover from an edgeon position to a horizontal position and means to release it after it has reached a horizontal position, said means comprising bent links having arms of different lengths and spaced different distances from said vault.

8. In a device of the character described, an arm pivoted to swing in. a vertical plane and adapted to carry a heavyl object, links having one of their ends pivoted respectively at the end and at a distance from the end of said arm and having their other ends pivoted on pivots Whichfare separated laterally.

9. In a devicek of the character described, a swinging arm adapted to 'carry va heavy object, links having one of their ends pivoted respectively at the end and at a distance from the end of said arm and having their other ends pivoted on pivots which are separated laterally, and means to preventsaid arms from turning in one direction beyond the plane of ,said pivots.

10. In a device of the character described, a

swinging arm, links having their ends offset in opposite directions and pivoted to said arm, and pivots for the other ends of said links spaced laterally from each other.

11. In a device for placing a cover on a burial vault, a base, a support, means pivotedto said` one end attachedto said base between the ends of-said links and thev other end attached tosaid support at a point betweenthe outery end of said support and the pivot points of said links on said support. v

JOSEPH SoHo-Lz.

i5 t an edge-on position,` and a tension spring'having 

